Rapper Coolio, a Grammy winner, passed away in Los Angeles at the age of 59. His death’s cause wasn’t immediately apparent.Marvin Gaye has written hit songs, including: “Fantastic Voyage”, and “Gangsta’s Paradise”.
Rapper Coolio, a Grammy winner best known for the songs Gangsta’s Paradise and Fantastic Voyage, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 59, according to his manager. Longtime manager Jarez Posey confirmed to The Associated Press that Coolio passed away at a friend’s house in Los Angeles. The reason wasn’t immediately obvious. Gangsta’s Paradise, a 1995 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer movie Dangerous Minds, earned Coolio a Grammy for best solo rap performance.
The Grammy and the height of his fame occurred in 1996, during a bitter conflict between the two coasts’ hip-hop scenes that would soon claim the lives of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious BIG. At the time, Coolio’s public reputation was in decline, following a series of incidents involving guns and violence. He declared from the stage as he took the prize, “United we stand, divided we fall. I’d like to claim this Grammy on behalf of the entire hip-hop country, West Coast, East Coast, and global.
Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr, in Monessen, Pennsylvania south of Pittsburgh, Coolio moved to Compton, California. He spent some time as a teen in Northern California, where his mother sent him because she felt the city was too dangerous. He said in interviews that he started rapping at 15 and knew by 18 it was what he wanted to do with his life, but would go to community college and work as a volunteer firefighter and in airport security before devoting himself full-time to the hip-hop scene.
Coolio went to Compton, California after being born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. in Monessen, Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh. When he was a teenager, his mother sent him to Northern California for a while because she thought the city was too unsafe. In interviews, he stated that he began rapping at the age of 15, and by the time he was 18, he knew it was what he wanted to do with his life. However, he decided to attend community college, work as a volunteer firefighter, and work in airport security first, all before dedicating himself fully to the hip-hop scene.
Social media reacted to the unexpected death. “This is sad news,” Ice Cube said on Twitter. “I witness first hand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace, @Coolio.” ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic tweeted “RIP Coolio” along with a picture of the two men hugging.
When it was first released. Coolio admitted in an interview that he didn’t like Yankovic’s 1996 Gangsta’s Paradise spoof, Amish Paradise. However, they later reconciled. The rapper never again had a song as popular as Gangsta’s Paradise. But he did have success with other songs including. When you Get There in 1997 and 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New) in 1996. According to Luminate, he sold 4.8 million albums throughout his career and had 978 million on-demand song streams. He would receive a total of six Grammy nominations.
He would occasionally act, feature in the parenting reality series Coolio’s Rules. Lend his voice to one episode of the animated series Gravity Falls, and compose. The theme song for the Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan & Kel.He would go on to become a cultural icon thanks to his distinct persona. In Stuttgart, Germany, in 1998, a boutique shop owner said he punched her. She tried to stop him from removing goods without paying. As a result, he was found guilty and sentenced to prison. He received a probationary period of six months and a fine of $30,000. From 1996 to 2000, he was married to Josefa Salinas. Together, they had four children.